Pictured: Mark Thomas

Leicestershire-based marketing consultancy Word Association has been named one of Britain's smartest companies. And the accolade comes at the end of another positive year of growth for Word Association.

The consultancy, which has made a virtue of flexible working as it has grown, is featured as a successful model in a new book, Future Work. The case study explains how Word Association closed its head office in Burbage, set up staff to work from home and, a decade later, has a flourishing business with a team of 13 operating remotely.

"We've never looked back," says Word Association chief executive Mark Thomas. "Staff numbers and turnover have doubled in that time and we have high levels of productivity and staff satisfaction and very low levels of absenteeism." The company supports clients with a range of services covering events and marketing support, media relations, publications, website design and online marketing, and social media.

Along the way, Word Association has won a number of accolades, including Investor in People accreditation. Earlier this year, Word Association was named in industry publication PR Week as the country's top agency in the East Midlands, and in the top 10 nationally serving the public sector.

Future Work explains how the world of work is changing, and how more British companies need to harness new technology effectively to remain competitive. It provides practical examples of organisations that have moved from an outdated model measuring staff contribution by time spent at a desk, to one where output is the key.

Mark says there are challenges to working virtually, particularly in a creative business. The team meets face to face weekly, but otherwise relies on technology to keep in touch. "It's a way of working that keeps our overheads low, enabling us to offer our clients more for less. Change is always hard, but adopting this way of working has delivered clear dividends," adds Mark, who has regular requests to speak about his experiences transforming Word Association.

"Many employers are still wedded to the idea that someone sitting at a desk is doing something useful, when they could well be conversing with friends on Facebook. We've found it beneficial to embrace the opportunities new technologies and the web offer, rather than restrict staff access to them. In the current economic climate, I would recommend other companies take the leap and enjoy the benefits."

Future Work has been written by former Financial Times journalist Alison Maitland, and flexible working specialist Peter Thomson. Speaking at the launch of the book, Peter said: "There are four key forces driving the change: technology, demographics, climate change and the global economy." Maitland continued: "These are transforming the way we work in the digital age. Business leaders and managers need to adapt to these massive changes - getting the best results from their workforce by dropping old habits and rethinking the way they manage and reward people."

The success of Word Association has meant Mark is now looking to expand further, with longer term plans to become the largest regionally-based PR and marketing consultancy in the UK by 2020.